The Train Ride
by Stephyblue
Summary: Quinn and Rachel meet up with you before boarding a train and the choices you make will influence the rest of your life. Fanfiction authors will find particular interest in this story.


A/N: It's been a really long time. There's a reason I'm posting here, because you were once and have always been my tribe and this is the only way I know how to reach you all at once. I'm coming to you now with a message, something critical and important that I want you to hear. So read below, and let me know if you agree and if you want to be a part of something special. I'm always one google search away.

A/N: I don't own Quinn Fabray or Rachel Berry…and wow it feel so good typing that again…

* * *

The Train

You have a train ticket in your hand and you look down at it, unsure how it got there. For a moment, you think back, confused about whether you bought it or not, but the apparent answer is no, you didn't. You turn it over, read the printed words over and over.

 _One Free Admission_

"You didn't buy it." The words startle you out of your thoughts and you look over to see who owns the voice. It's Quinn, and your heart just about shoots out of your throat you're so startled by seeing her. Beside her, Rachel is sipping out of a small cup, it looks like tea, and it wouldn't be anything else with how protective she is of her voice.

Your hand comes up to half point at yourself and half check your clothing looks alright. "Me?"

Those hazel eyes are even greener than you thought, certainly more so than the lyrical way people have tried to describe them in all the fanfiction you've read.

"Yes, you."

"What is it?"

Rachel smiles. "It's a ticket to the greatest show on earth!"

Quinn seems a little put out with all the dramatics, but she lets it slide. "Sure, it's that."

You look down at the ticket again.

"I don't think I understand. Why do I have this ticket?"

"Cause you're here. Because you're standing right here in this moment with a ticket in your hand and reading the words on the page as your eyes move. It's all very meta, come have a seat."

Quinn offers you space across from them, and you look back over your shoulder unsure if you might miss the train if you join them. They can see your hesitation. It's Rachel who speaks.

"Don't worry. It won't leave without you if you don't want it to."

With how genuine and soft her expression is, you can't help but feel reassured. You take a seat at the table across from the people who you feel like you've fallen in love with a million times over in a million different stories. The ticket sits on the table and you stare down at it. Eventually, you gather your voice to speak again.

"Can you tell me about the ticket?"

Quinn nods. "We represent a company called Dark Horse Publishing. This is all very real and very true. The owner wrote fanfiction we starred in and was able to make a very successful life writing, but she wasn't happy with how people treated her since she'd gotten her start writing fanfiction."

Rachel narrows her eyes. "Yeah, and we didn't like it either."

"Exactly." Quinn glances over and then continues. "We all did a lot of fighting to make fanfiction more legitimate, but eventually she realized that there was a better way to change the world of writing."

"How's that?" You ask.

"Invite you to join us."

You aren't quite sure what Quinn means. "Wait, what?"

It's Rachel that takes over. "Much of the writing community is built of stuffy older men and women who don't want to change the status quo. They hate people who aren't like them and feel that fanfiction and self-publishing are beneath them. That you don't have talent if you aren't with a big publishing house."

"Exactly."

Rachel leans forward. "And who do you think gets rich when you publish with one of the big publishing houses?"

"The publishing house?" You answer, because it couldn't be anything else. Obviously.

"Bingo. That's why they make their club so elitist, to preserve value in a failing system that only looks down on—"

Quinn interrupts. "So, we are going to change all that." She sits back with a satisfied smirk on her face.

"How?" You can't fathom how.

"Dark Horse Publishing is meant to be nimble and quick. The owner has worked to lower the costs of creating a book and through shared marketing, you can split your book's revenue fifty-fifty."

"How does that help me?"

Quinn smiles. "You get to be backed by a publishing house, you get submitted for awards and competitions to win money. You get to be a published author and perhaps achieve financial independence."

It sounds too good to be true. "What do they get?" You ask.

"They make revenue off the book sales the same as you do. It's a partnership since they will work to get you edited, marketed, printed, and submitted for awards." Quinn grins. "But even better than that, you get to team up to change the writing world and prove all voices matter, not just the rich ones."

You think a moment about what this would mean. If for no other reason, it sounds amazing to just put your writing out there in the world. It's out there now, but this would be something else entirely. This would be the thing you've been working toward, even if you haven't admitted it to yourself.

You've always wanted this.

And somewhere deep down, your real fear is that you'll be great, and you'll love it, and the world will be a scary place because what will you do once you're no longer a tortured writer?

"What do I do once I've published?"

"Write more." Rachel smiles. "The world is changing, writing is changing. You need to be a part of the revolution."

Quinn stands abruptly and Rachel follows her.

"You ready to join us? You have a ticket right there. You just have to be brave enough to board the train."

Rachel reaches out her hand.

"Come on. What are you waiting for?"

* * *

Check out my profile for the link to start your journey. You have so much talent. I'd like to show the world how much talent you have, too.


End file.
